Plough & The Stars

Recommends

neonbacalao

Joined 7 years ago

Service Decent, Food Below Par. While my husband and I enjoyed the drinks here, the food was not the best. It was quite expensive and they were out of tuna for a dish he ordered and were replacing it with a whitefish. He got seafood rissoto which was delicious although the shrimp was a bit overcooked, and I got the pan seared venison. The venison was cooked pretty well and tasted wonderful, but the vegetable of the day was a single large broccoli sprout. The mashed potatoes were atrociously bland - more like whipped boiled potatoes. The bread that came with the meal was also somewhat stale. The bathrooms are awful. Not dirty, just too shabby to be located in such an ambient restaurant. However, through all this the service was pretty good and the drinks were reasonably priced and creative and delicious. This restaurant is a great place to go to enjoy drinks, but I would not recommend eating there.

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snailgenie

Joined 7 years ago

Comfy but pricey.. Can anything this expensive really be called a pub? Well, name quibbles aside this is a lovely upscale restaurant an bar. Dark wood furniture, a working fireplace and heated outdoor seating make it easy to get comfortable. Dining is around 15$ a plate, beers hovering around 5$. The scene tends to be middle aged, lots of laughing and converation. Kids are welcome, and fit perfectly at the tiny little tables near the fire.

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culsed

Joined 7 years ago

Late Sunday afternoon Irish music sessions.....I felt like I was back in Ireland. The food is outstanding but the service is so welcoming and prompt. The big screen TV was long overdue! I really enjoyed watching the World Cup there this summer, then around 5 or 6 pm the musicians came in for a weekly jam session, a hiden secret in Philly...sitting by the fire, on a 2 foot stool with a Pint of Guiness, my lovely server named "Maureen" and the sound of the flutes & fiddles......ahahh to be in Ireland again, only 30 minutes from my house!

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tracker883

Joined 7 years ago

Group of Ate was Great. A group of eight went out for my wife's birthday on Friday 7/14. I was sceptical after reading many of the reviews regarding noise and crowds at the Plough. We made reservations for 6:15 arrived at 6:30, they are very accommodating for tardiness as long as you call. We sat upstairs on the balcony near the bar. There are great views of this beautiful building from upstairs. I believe it's a former coin exchange from the late 1700's. The waitress came right over and took our drink orders which took moments to arrive. There was a speaker over the bar right near our table which was immediately turned down when we asked them to. Other than that there was nothing unusual about the decibel level. The appetizers, entrees, and desserts were excellent. Not one person in our party had anything but positive feedback on their experience. I highly highly highly recommend the mussels for appetizer. The wait staff, bartenders, and host were very attentive, polite, and warm. We would come back again without hesitation. We're new to the restaurant scene in Philadelphia and are a little overwhelmed by all the choices. We've found a favorite in the Plough & the Stars.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Come for the creamy pints, stay for the food.. In Short
Located in the historic Corn Exchange Building, this Irish pub's slate floors and 24-foot-high ceiling make it clear that gentlemen in backward-facing ball caps won't be welcome. The bar area is expansive enough to accommodate a crowd without bugging diners, but have dinner early if you're looking for peace. If you're coming for just a drink, grab a stool by the fireplace.

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ladyday1981

Joined 8 years ago

I think not. while the restaurant was nice and the service was decent, this IS NOT an IRISH bar/pub/restaurant. Nothing about the decor or the menu selection is Irish and even the beer selection is questionable. If you are looking for a nice evening out this place will suit you. However if you are on a quest for true Irish fare, you'd do best to go somewhere else

Doesn't Recommend

piper_benjamin

Joined 7 years ago

Average Food. They overbooked during Restaurant Week and we had to wait over an hour even with a reservation. Because they overbooked they were out of the best dishes, our wine, and they had to make a lot of substitutions. Our waitress couldnt do much to help the situation except be apologetic. The place itsself is cool with a lofted dining balcony. The food was normal cost for Old City but very average tasting, and it got really noisy because the bar was packed by 9pm Wed and they were blaring bar music.

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northerncritic

Joined 7 years ago

Surprised and shocked - not pleasantly. Went there during Restaurant week. For appetizers had avocado mousse and tapas, both good. Main course, the sirloin and the pork tenderloin, both good. The steak was really tasty and juicy. Our disapponitment was with the mashed potatoes - they used the instant powder stuff. That ruined the whole dinner. Hope this wasn't done due to it being restaurant week because the cost of everything was close to the $30/person. Desert was standard.

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dank420

Joined 7 years ago

The best service in town. I recently ate at The Plough and the Stars, I had the Bleu cheese steak, tres magnifique! But i really wanted to rave about the service. Our waitress was excellent and the bus staff is everpresent, never and empty glass or dirty dish, bread a plenty!

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twiddletwaddle

Joined 9 years ago

Thank Heaven for the Plough. A genuinely great place. The food is surprsingly great. Recently we have had the rack of lamb, the skate (excellant!!), the mussels (yum, yum!), the venison and the Angus sirloin burger. All great! Good for a big group.

Go early in the week cause it is busy, busy, busy............